Complacency the Stealth Bomber

Complacency the Stealth Bomber

 Reflections by Rev. Harry Stackhouse

I Peter 5:8 “Be sober spirit, be on the alert your adversary, the devil, prowls about like roaring lion seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”

Some may think that the Bible contradicts itself. At some points it tells us to be content and at other times it warns us about be complacent. Which is correct? Both are correct. You are to be content in that you trust the Lord in your life situations, but not content to think that your spiritual maturity is ever adequate.

Once you think that you have arrived spiritually, you are about to fall. “Therefore he who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” I Corinthians 10:12

Complacency is this feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger. It is a self-satisfaction with or smug satisfaction with existing situation. 

Satan’s plan is to lull the believer to sleep, especially pastors. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 26:41 “Keeping watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 

Temptation is ever present and being too content will lead to destruction of your ministry and family relations.  You should be striving to be a better leader and a  better disciple of Christ.

Complacency can be called the “status quo” mentality.  This mentality is extremely dangerous to your spiritual vitality.  The status quo attitude says, “things as they are good enough”, unfortunately this attitude lulls the believer to sleep, therefore decreasing his/her desire for more of a revelation of Christ and a deeper understanding of His divine word.

Paul the apostle expressed his desire for more of God by saying “…I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all thing, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law, but that which is though faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death, not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ.  Philippians 3:7-14

Pressing towards the likeness of Christ is a sure fire way of not becoming complacent.